subject: Cancer Treatment - The Side Effects Of Chemotherapy [print this page] It is always unfortunate when you see a close family member or dear friend suffering from any kind of cancer. The deadly disease does not give any kind of warning before it strikes, and there is no precondition for being inflicted with the ailment. Medical science has made a lot of advancement in the field of cancer treatment, and today most types of cancer are curable with the help of chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy or radiation therapy definitely helps in treating cancer, but it often leaves rather unpleasant side effects for patients to deal with. These side effects are dietary, physical and emotional, and they have to be dealt with so that the patient undergoing chemotherapy is more able to cope with the disease and treatment.
Dietary Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Most patients undergoing chemotherapy often complain of loss of appetite. This loss of appetite leads to a decreased intake of nutrients and protein, and this makes the recovery process an uphill struggle. Patients often complain that certain foods like meat taste bitter and metallic. Chemotherapy may also affect the sense of smell of the patient. These side effects have to be combated and the caregiver needs to ensure that the patient is eating enough of the right kinds of food. There are several ways to deal with the problem of appetite loss. The patient should be given frequent small meals and the right amount of fluids. They should also be given water at least half an hour before meals and after so that they do not feel too full at the meal times. A powdered replacement can also be given to the patient along with frequent healthy snacks.
There are other ways to cope with patients' appetite loss during the chemotherapy experience. They should be given food which both looks nice and smells great. They should also use plastic cutlery instead of steel cutlery. Food should be made sweeter for the patients and they should be given more sugary foods and snacks.
Physical Side Effects of Cancer
Patients undergoing chemotherapy often experience side effects, which alter their physical appearance and make them depressed and conscious about the way they look. Some common side effects include discolored or burnt skin, loss of hair follicles and eyebrows, hair on the head, and even acne. Side effects like these will usually lead to the patient feeling frustrated, depressed and very lonely. Family members and caregivers need to cope with these feelings of the patient, and they need to constantly tell them how much they are loved and cared for.
Emotional and Social Side Effects of Chemotherapy
The knowledge of having cancer alone is something which can lead to many emotional problems for patients. Patients who were very independent and full of life prior to being diagnosed with cancer become overly dependent on family members causing them to feel depressed, frustrated, helpless and very anxious. Cancer survivors recommend joining help groups so that patients realize that they are not alone and they learn to cope with their problems with tips from others who are going through the same pain.
